Aliseda named CEO of Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen

McAllen-based attorney Ernest Aliseda, a former regent for UT System, has been named CEO and Associate Vice President of Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen.

He starts his new role on Aug. 15, taking over from Manny Vela, who announced his retirement in the Spring.

“This is a full-circle moment for me,” Aliseda said. “Texas A&M shaped who I am and gave me the foundation to serve. I now have the honor to give back — to help make higher education more accessible, expand opportunity and uplift communities of the Rio Grande Valley.”

General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III, president of Texas A&M, said that in his new key leadership role, Aliseda will oversee the academic, administrative and community engagement efforts of the university’s growing presence in South Texas. 

Welsh said his responsibilities will include strategic planning, institutional advancement, student services, and the continued expansion of Texas A&M’s presence and impact in the Rio Grande Valley.

 “Judge Aliseda embodies the values and leadership we seek to cultivate in our students,” said General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III, president of Texas A&M. “His experience, dedication to public service and deep roots in the Rio Grande Valley make him uniquely qualified to lead our McAllen campus into its next chapter.”

Aliseda brings more than 30 years of distinguished experience in higher education governance, law, public service and military leadership. He is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, a retired state district judge and currently serves as the general counsel for DHR Health. During his time as a UT System regent, UT-Rio Grande Valley was formed, along with its school of medicine.

Aliseda said he is committed to strengthening educational pathways for local students, forging new community and industry partnerships across the region, and expanding the reach of Texas A&M’s Colonias Program, an initiative Vela cared passionately about.

“I want the Texas A&M Higher Education Center at McAllen to be a destination — not just a dream — for Valley students,” Aliseda added. “This is about building a brighter future for our children, for our region and for Texas.”

Aliseda received a Bachelor of Arts from Texas A&M University in 1988, a Juris Doctor from the University of Houston Law Center and a Master of Laws in Health Law from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Vela retired in May after serving as associate vice president and chief operating officer of Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen since May 2023.

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